Saturday, May 19, 2012

Hearts & Flowers

Can you see why I named the picture "Hearts & Flowers"? I just couldn't resist. My beautiful blue/purple hydrangea, my beautiful white oak leaf hydrangea and a vine (weed) just made such a tempting composition.

I have now been retired for one year (and 1 month) and I'm constantly surprised at how much I enjoy it. It's wonderful to experience all of the different seasons from the sanctuary of my home. I went to a retirement luncheon for a good friend a couple of days ago and I found myself thinking over and over that I hope she enjoys her retirement as much as I'm enjoying mine. Even when we were tied down having to care for my mother round the clock, it was still wonderful. And now that we have a span of time in which we can travel if we want, we find ourselves content to putter in our yard, sit on our deck, paint, watch some TV and just generally chill out. We still intend to travel, mostly 3-day trips to some our favorite spots like Burrell's Ford on the Chattooga River (got to break out the backpack equipment!), Fall Creek Falls State Park (Tennessee) and Asheville, NC. But we also want to visit GeoGypsy's Big Ditch (the Grand Canyon). GeoGypsy is a National Park Ranger at the Grand Canyon and her blog with its tales of the area and the photos she posts are really calling to me. But our first bit of travel will be to Houston over the Memorial Day weekend. Saint Gene's family has a reunion and we plan to attend. Maybe there will be something interesting along the way to post about. But for now I'm going to eat my tomato (not homegrown) sandwich out here on the deck and relax from all the hard labor of typing this post.

About Me

Welcome to my art blog. I am attracted to a very diverse mixture of arts and crafts and enjoy working and playing in all of them.
Creating things has always been a part of my life, sometimes more so than others, of course. And it has taken many forms - crochet, cross stitch, photography, painting, rubber stamping, bookmaking, beading and polymer clay. I remember as a child, one my biggest thrills was getting that new box of crayons and a coloring book. Those crayons were the most beautiful things to me. And I lusted after the giant, 64 count box - didn't you? And when I played with paper dolls (remember those?), I didn't play with them like other girls, instead I used them as mannikins for dress designs.
Art allows me to fly. I do occasionally sell my work but I create it for the sake of creating, for the joy of the process, and for the fulfillment of letting my hands translate my mind's vision into something that others can see and touch. If others ask to buy it, fine, I might sell it (and I might not). But I create for the sheer pleasure of creating.